Modified Corn Seeds Sow Doubts

Modified Corn Seeds Sow Doubts

Next spring, farmers in Canada will be able to sow one of the most
complicated genetically engineered plants ever designed, a futuristic
type of corn containing eight foreign genes.

With so much crammed into one seed, the modified corn will be able
to confer multiple benefits, such as resistance to corn borers and
rootworms, two caterpillar-like pests that infest the valuable grain
crop, as well as withstanding applications of glyphosate, a weed killer
better known by its commercial name, Roundup.

But a controversy has arisen over the new seeds, which were approved
for use last month by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Health
Canada hasn't assessed their safety.

The health agency said in response to questions from The Globe and
Mail that it didn't have to do so, because it is relying on the two
companies making the seeds, agriculture giants Monsanto Co. and Dow
AgroSciences LLC, to flag any safety concerns. But the companies
haven't tested the seeds either, because they say they aren't required
to.

The companies have checked the safety of each of the eight genes one
at a time in individual corn plants, but haven't done so when they
combined the foreign matter together in one seed, says Trish Jordan, a
spokesperson for Monsanto Canada Inc.

"Every single one of the traits has been tested singly, and it has
gone through the complete rigorous regulatory review process," Ms.
Jordan said.

When the eight traits were subsequently combined into one seed
through conventional breeding techniques, there was no trigger for an
additional safety assessment, she said.

But the companies', and Health Canada's, position is disputed by
opponents of genetically modified foods and consumer safety advocates,
who say guidelines from the UN's food standards commission, Codex
Alimentarius, recommend such testing, even when the novel traits are
introduced through normal plant breeding.

Michael Hansen, senior scientist at Consumers Union, a U.S. advocacy
group, says he's worried that combining a large number of foreign genes
could lead to the creation of allergens or other deleterious substances
in food that don't occur when only one gene is involved.

The government's decision to leave the safety testing to the
companies is like "putting the fox in charge of the hen house," Mr.
Hansen said.

Health Canada "has entirely abdicated its responsibility" for food
safety, echoed Lucy Sharratt, co-ordinator of the Canadian
Biotechnology Action Network, an Ottawa-based group that is critical of
genetic engineering.

In its statement to The Globe, Health Canada said it approved the
new corn because it didn't find anything untoward in testing conducted
from 2002 to 2008 that looked at the safety of the genes two at a time.

"According to Health Canada's policy, when a company chooses to
breed or cross approved genetically modified plants with other approved
GM or non-GM plants, the company must inform Health Canada only if
there is a change in the safety of the product," the federal agency
said. "If there was a change, the company would have to provide the
necessary information to Health Canada."

The issue of the safety of the new corn has wide-ranging importance
because multiple foreign genes in seeds is the wave of the future in
biotechnology. When genetic modification of plants began, breeders
would introduce only one gene taken from a foreign source, such as a
bacterium, at a time. Corn seeds now on the market have up to three
foreign genes.

Ms. Jordan said the eight-gene corn, which the companies call
SmartStax because numerous traits are stacked together, will be the
basic platform for all Monsanto's future versions of the crop.

She said researchers are looking to add even more genes to it,
including those for drought resistance, yield increases and more
efficient use of nitrogen, an important plant nutrient.

The new corn isn't the sweet type eaten on the cob but is typically
used for animal feed. Monsanto expects about 200,000 acres to be
planted next year in Canada, mainly in Ontario, and that the crop will
have enhanced yields.

Under the UN Codex guidelines, producers of genetically engineered
plants, even when the producers subsequently use conventional breeding
on their seeds, should provide information "to reduce the possibility
that a food derived from a recombinant-DNA plant would have an
unexpected, adverse effect on human health."

Health Canada says the view that further testing needs to be done on
such seeds is "erroneous" because the Codex guideline doesn't
explicitly mention the stacking of genetic traits as a trigger for such
a review.

Mr. Hansen believes Health Canada's interpretation leaves the
country open to possible trade disputes because other jurisdictions,
such as Europe, could challenge the Canadian corn by citing a failure
to follow the Codex guidelines.

Further

Lord, what would John Lennon have made of the Trump monster? Marking Thursday's 36th anniversary of Lennon's murder, Yoko Ono posted a plea for gun control, calling his death "a hollowing experience" and pleading, "Together, let's bring back America, the green land of Peace." With so many seeking solace in these ugly times, mourns one fan, "Oh John, you really should be here." Lennon conceded then, and likely would now, "Reality leaves a lot to the imagination."